When Worlds Collide: Spock Confronts the Ultimate Challenge
| writer =Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman | artist =Paul Pope | editor =J.J. Abrams| creative consultant= | printed =Wired magazine #17.05| omnibus = | published =April 2009 | format = | pages =6 | story = | publisher = | ISBN = | date = | stardate = | altcover = | }} When Worlds Collide: Spock Confronts the Ultimate Challenge is a six-page comic published in the May 2009 issue of Wired magazine, which was edited by J.J. Abrams, the director of the film Star Trek. The story was written by the film's writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (credited as K/O), with art by Paul Pope. Summary Spock finds himself marooned on the planet , a barren planet with many rocky spires. Despite his circumstances, he does not stress, as he has been trained to control his emotions and emotional state. This was done by learning techniques and puzzles that emphasized logic over emotion. While playing with a puzzle given to him by his father, Sarek, he reminisces about some of the other puzzles and crises he has faced. When he was young, Sarek assigned a tutor to Spock in order to teach him how to play the Vulcan harp. He learned that the mathematics and logic behind the music would help him master his half-Human side inherited from his mother. This half-Human side also led him to being something of an outcast among his peers at the Vulcan Atheneum, but he learned to keep a calm focus. He also learned the Vulcan nerve pinch, something far more elegant than a brute shove or careless punch. When adolescence arrived, he had to master the tal'oth test in Vulcan's Forge. He smelled the Sa-te kru beast before seeing it and realized that it was the embodiment of his roiling emotions. A simple nerve pinch allowed him to "pass through to a new state of consciousness" and become a mature adult. Years later, he joined Starfleet and by this time was very proficient with the harp. He did notice that the harp's music affected the Human mind by triggering emotions, quite the opposite effect it had on Vulcans. One example was the way that it affected Lieutenant Uhura. On the , he discovered the game of three-dimensional chess and found that "playing chess with Captain Kirk was a welcome respite from the perils we encountered." The lessons learned from this game also helped him suggest the means of defeating Khan Noonien Singh in the Battle of the Mutara Nebula by viewing things in a three-dimensional way rather than a simple two-dimensions. He notes that Kirk never believed in unsolvable puzzles in no-win scenarios, but finds himself unsure. He knows that he is responsible for his circumstances, what has happened, and what will happen, but despite his efforts, he finds himself afraid. In the sky above, the Enterprise appears and he finds himself faced with a choice. "A choice that will change the course of history. But it is the galaxy's only hope... it is only logical." References Characters :James T. Kirk • Spock • Nyota Uhura Amanda Grayson • Sarek • Khan Noonien Singh • Hikaru Sulu Starships and vehicles : ( ) • ( ) Locations : • • Vulcan Atheneum • Vulcan's Forge Races and cultures :Human • Vulcan States and organizations :Starfleet Other references :Battle of the Mutara Nebula • emotion • logic • photon torpedo • Sa-te kru • Sarek's dilemma • tal'oth • three-dimensional chess • Vulcan harp • Vulcan nerve pinch Appendices Related stories *' ' (TOS movie) - This comic shows elderly Spock on setting the scene for his appearance in the Star Trek film. *'Yesteryear' (TAS episode) - Spock's status as an outcast among his peers at school was established in this episode. *'Displaced' (VOY episode) - The Tal'oth test shown in this comic was first established in Voyager in a reference by Tuvok to how it made Starfleet training seem comparatively less challenging. *'Charlie X' (TOS episode) - Uhura singing along with Spock while he played the Vulcan harp was seen in this episode. Indeed, the character which looks like Janice Rand in the background may indicate the scene in the comic is a recreation of the scene in the episode (albeit with Uhura's hair modeled after the new movie's Uhura rather than the original 1960s version). *'The Wrath of Khan' (TOS movie) - This comic recreates a portion of the Battle of the Mutara Nebula from this movie. Timeline The comic's framing story takes place in the Kelvin timeline created in , at moment where is marooned in . The comic takes the form of flashbacks, to Spock's childhood, adolescence, and service on the Enterprise in the 2260s and retelling events of The Wrath of Khan. | nextMB=The Covenant of the Crown |}} | prevdate=The Better Man | nextdate= |}} | prevdate=Spock: Reflections, Issue 1 | nextdate=Old Souls |}} | prevdate=Charlie X| nextdate=Elegy for Charlie|}} | prevdate=To Reign in Hell: The Exile of Khan Noonien Singh | nextdate=Prodigal Father |}} Images External links *When Worlds Collide: Spock Confronts the Ultimate Challenge on Wired magazine's website * Category:TOS comics